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Lahore

City in PakistanLahore stands on the Ravi River in central-eastern Punjab, in eastern Pakistan, only about 24 km from Wagah on the border with India.

What it's known for

Lahore is the capital of Punjab province and the second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi. Often called the Heart of Pakistan, it is known for its Mughal monuments, including the Lahore Fort and the Shalimar Gardens, which are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Fun facts

  1. The Badshahi Mosque, the largest of Lahore's Mughal monuments, was built during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1673.
  2. The tall Minar-e-Pakistan tower stands where the Lahore Resolution, the first official call for a separate homeland for the Muslims of British India, was passed on 23 March 1940.
  3. A legend says the city was founded by Prince Lava, son of Rama and Sita, and that its name comes from Lavapuri, 'City of Lava'.

Finding it on the globe

Follow the border between Pakistan and India in the north: Lahore sits just on the Pakistani side, with the Indian city of Amritsar a short way across the border to the east.

Easy to mix up

Lahore is a big provincial capital, not the national one. Pakistan's capital is Islamabad, about 270 km to the north-northwest.

Sources: Wikipedia: Lahore, Wikipedia: Wagah, Wikipedia: Minar-e-Pakistan